Sorting machine



SORTING MACHINE 2 Sheet-s-Sheei 1 Filed May 3, 1926 a wirf Patented July 19, 1927.

UNITED ,STATES LEE A. MEDCALF, or FAIRGROVE, n'rIcHIGAN.

' soR'rING MAQHINE,

Application mea my 8, 1926.' 'serial No. 106,247.

vThisinvvention relates to seed sorting maL chines and particularly to a machine for separating' good beans from the'culls, split and otherwise imperfect product. 'V Y One object of the invention is to design a simple and ellicient sorting machine which can be built in units so that anynumber of units Vmaybe added to provide the desired capacity.'V v Another objectis to design a flat revolving table or disc machine, and provide means for separating the product and guiding it into separate receptacles. i

"A further object is to provide a sectional roller and mount it on the face of the disc for separating the perfect from the imperfect product. V A further object still is to design a new and novel sectional scraper which will closely hugthe face of the disc and accommodate itself to an unevenness of surface.l

f With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement ofparts, hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed outin the appended'claims,'it'being i i understood that changes may be madein the form, size, proportion and minordetails of lconstruction withoutV departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages ofl the invention.

' In the drawings,

F ig. 1 is a top plan of a revolving disc machine showing the sectional roller and Scrapers in place thereon. f y

,y N Fig. 2 is a'fragment'ary part sectional View,

the outer frame being omitted.l

' Fig: 3 is a 'fragmentary top plan of one of the sectional Scrapers.,- i

' Fig. 4i a'fragmentaryside view. Y n

ig. 5 is a transverse sectional view, the dotted "lines showing one of the sections raised. i

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of the sectional roller.

Fig. 7 is an end view thereof.

Fig. 8 is a 'fragmentary top plan view illustrating the manner of connecting Vone of the 50 braces to one of the sectional Scrapers.

Fig. 9 is an edge view thereof.

A vFig. 10'is a fragmentary isometric view showing the sectional roller and bearing.

fFig.A 1,1" is' a fragmentary sideview of the seed agitating member'and j Fig. 12 is a transverse sectional rview thereof. 1 l Fig. 13 is a party sectional View of the main feedv spout. f

Referring now particularly to the drawing, 'the machine comprises a supporting frame 5 having Va bearing -5al `cast integral therewith and inv whicha hollow shaft 6 is ournalecha bevel gear 7 being secured to the shaft intermediate its length, and is adapted to be driven by a bevel pinion 8 mounted on the shaft 9, and which is connected to a suit?- able source of power V(not shown), a cone shaped member 10 being secured to the upper endfof thel shaft, andis provided with a flange 10fon which a flat ldisc or table 11 is mounted and secured for rotation therewith, and which is practically indentical with the construction shown in Patent- #1,47 9,082, granted to me under date -of January 1st,' 1924, vand this application vis therefore primarily directed to the sectional rollervz and scrapers, vand ythe mounting Y thereof.y i

The table or disc proper is perfectly flat, and is slightly tilted as shown in Figf2, of the drawing, a Vcentrally disposed opening 12 being provided which communicates with the hollow shaft 6 asshown. f

A sectional scraper 13A rests on the face of 85 the disc in the position as shown, and is preferabiy formed of metal, being channel shaped and is adapted' to receive a plurality of short block members 14 thereinyand which are placed yin abutting relation. The ends of the channel shaped -member extend beyond the disc, and are secured to a frame; 15 which surrounds the machine,` by means of bolts 16. A second scraper A17 is spaced fromvthe scraper 13, the block members extending only to the point 18, the channel frame portion also extending to the frame and in the same manner, and bolts 19 `are'provided for holding it in proper position, the portion of the channel frame in which there are no blocks being of sufficient height from the face of the disc to allow the `product 1being sorted to pass thereunder. i

An indentically similar scraper 20 is positioned out-he lowside of the disc, the scraper 105 blocks extending to the point 21, the metal frame being secured to the outer frame indentically the same as the other Scrapers.

A curved sheet metal member or section 22 is secured to the members 17 and 20 in the position as shown, and acts as a guide to prevent good product from rolling past the scraper 2() and off the lower edge of the disc, guiding it in the direction as indicated by ythe numerous arrows, thence striking the to said brace2 and 24:a respectively, and are neath the disc.

formed as. clearly shown in Fig. 9 ofthe drawing, having lan open socket 28 in which a shaft 29 is iournaled Theroller 23 is mounted on the .shaft 29- andis formed of a plurality of sections 3.0, spaced from each other by means of a thin metal washer (not shown), the opening 31 which is provided in said sections being considerably larger than the diameter of the shaftto permit the sections to raise or lower with respect ,to the shaft and independently of each other, as whenone section rolls over a cracked or very irregular shaped beam or fiat surface or a piece of foreign mattei'.

. An agitating or turning member 32 is spaced from the sectional roller and is rigidly secured to the brace 24 and the brace 24a respectively,.pins 33 being provided in said member in staggered relation, and serve to turn the beams as they are carried around on the disc;

A. feed hopper 34 is provided directly adjacentv the disc and intovwhich the product to be sorted is dumped and this is provided with a spout 35 having a slotted opening 36 therein, and into'rwhich the edge of the revolving disc projects, alip 37 being provided at the lower edge of the slotted opening, and prevents. the beams from wedging be- The beams are prevented from rolling olf the edge of the disc by a thin circular4 band of metal 38 which eX- tends partially around the disc and is secured to the members 17 and 13 respectively.

Inpractise the revolving disc carries the beansl (as they are fed fiom the spout) up against the scraper 13, the regular shaped perfect productrolling down (due tothe angle of inclination of the disc) towards the low side thereof, while the foreign matter, cracked and very imperfect product 4is carried aroundon the outer edge of the disc, outside of the guard 22 being carried against the backside ofthe scraper 20, and are then forced olf the disc and into thehopper 39 asabove described. f

The perfect smooth skinned product together with the smooth irregular shaped and shriveled skinned beansrroll inside of the guard 22 and against the front edge of the scraper 20, thence are carriedinunder the agitating member 31 which rolls the product, thence beiiigearried to the sectional roller, the roundcur'vatur-e of the roller .sec-

tionsobviously will not grip a perfectly smooth round object, consequently the good product `willr not. pass thereunder but will be forced oif the disc and into the mouth of Theroller 23 can be easily? Y by i merely 'lifting it from'r thebearingsfand can be made up of any .desired materiallto suit the seed being sorted, andI lindthaty rubber is the `most suitable for sorting beans, but 1 when sortingv peas, etc., I find that.. felt is found to be most satisfactoryV for Acatching the thistle blows which are then removedby brushing .the rolls. i Y

Fromthe foregoingdescription be obvious that I have perfected avery simple, economical and substantial sortingmachine.

, What Iclaim viszff ,l

1.A A frame, a sorting device comprising'a fiat disc, a roller mounted on the frame, and comprising a shaft having a pluralityy of individual lsections loosely mounted thereon and `free to move in `any -direction andjriding on said disc. i Y

2. A frame, a sortingdevice comprisinga los i flat revolving disc, a roller mountedV on the y.

frame, and comprising a plurality of indie vidual sections movable in any direction and lio with relation to each other and ladapted" to ride on said disc.

3. A frame, a sorting device eomprisingfa flat-revolving disc, Scrapers mounted-on the frame, in spaced relation, and a roller formed of Vindividual sections, also mounted 'thereon and riding on .said-disc.

4. A frame, a` sorting device` comprising a` tiltedl flat revolving disc, sectional ,Scrapers mounted on the frame in spaced'relation, and a sectional roller journaled on the scrapersk and riding on said disc.

5. A main frame, aI sorting device' comprising' a flat revolving disc, scrapersjmounted on the frame, ea'chlcomp'rising. a frame having a plurality of blocksv loosely mount-v ed for vertical movement therein, and a sectional roller rvjournaled on themain frame and comprising .a plurality of individual sections riding on said disc. y l Y y 6. In a sorting device, the combination with a flat revolving surface, of a frame, a sectional roller mounted thereon, the eeetions being movable in any direction and with relation to each other.

7. In a .sorting device, the combination with a flat revolving disc, of a frame, a sectional roller mounted thereon, and comprising a shaft, a plurality of individual sections mounted thereon, and a centrally disposed opening in each section olf' greater diameter than the diameters of the shaft to permit the individual sections to move in any direction.

8. In a sorting device, the combination 15 plurality of blocks loosely mounted in said 20 frame in abutting relation.

In testimony whereof I hereunto ax my signature.

LEE A. MEDCALF. 

